Dandelions In The Lawn

He pulled on the rope starter
The lawnmower remained defiant
The neighbors
Tired of hearing him swear
Called the police
He had been pulling on the starter
For five days now
Day and night
Pulling and cursing
The lawnmower giving no more
Than a chug-chug-chug sound
His hands were bleeding
Eyes red from non-sleep
He reached down again
As the squad car pulled in the drive
Picking up the service revolver
Waving it in the air,

The neighbors
Waved at the ambulance
As they mowed their pristine lawns
Too bad
They thought
His lawn always had dandelions.